Chapter 20

Garina

"A messenger has been dispatched to inform our people of the gates return. Surely they have sought to contact us in its absence. When our messenger returns he should have orders for this base." said a senior training officer.

"The leadership evacuated to Jakod before our strike. Orders may not move swiftly, but we will be called upon. Let us hope those orders are to storm Atlantis once again." said the acting base commander.

For the next hour those in the command building discussed the disposition and locations of the Genii troops in the galaxy. Several of the locations mentioned were previously unknown to the listening Tauri. This intel would make possible a new selection of targets in this war.

During this time the alpha team's communications sergeant had occupied himself by setting up a video camera. The video was sent via data link to the orbiting Hammond. In the 302 bay of the Hammond six 302's were being preflight checked by their flight crew. Each 302 was carrying four CBU-72 thermobaric cl.u.s.ter bomb units weighing five hundred and fifty pound apiece.

"Rattler Six this is Hammond. You have air support inbound. ETA on station is three zero minutes. Confirm." radioed the communications officer.

"Hammond, Rattler six confirms inbound air in three zero mikes. Out." replied Rattler Six Actual, the SF team commander.

Sitting in the command chair Colonel Carter opened a comm channel to the waiting X-302's. "Hammer Flight you are cleared for wheels up. Contact Rattler Six when you reach the initial point. Good hunting gentlemen."

Quickly the craft departed the hangar bay of the orbiting Hammond. Entering the atmosphere of the planet the flight crews forced themselves to relax. Training kicked in and the well rehearsed series of events leading up to an airstrike came into play. Two hundred miles out at fifty thousand feet and descending Hammer Lead broke radio silence. "Rattler Six this is Hammer Lead on approach" said the pilot in command of the flight.

"Hammer Lead, Rattler Six. The target is illuminated." replied the alpha team commander.

Minutes before one of the SF soldiers had powered on his GLD or ground laser designator. The GLD lased a chosen target with an invisible to the n.a.k.e.d eye beam of laser energy. Seeker heads in laser guided munitions would detect this beam of energy and home in on it like high tech kamikazes.

"Hammer Flight, this is Hammer Lead. Set offset disburs.e.m.e.nt patterns to preprogram option one. Commencing attack run in three zero seconds." said the pilot.

In each 302 the rear seat weapons officer selected option one. This would ensure that each weapon dropped would home in on a different section of the compound below. It would also ensure optimum effectiveness of each weapon employed, with overlapping blast patterns for maximum damage.

From a height of eighteen thousand feet the six aircraft dropped four modified CBU-72's apiece before beginning their climb back into the upper atmosphere. Gravity pulled the noses down of each of the falling bombs. Each bombs seeker head detecting the laser below in the command building within the camp. At fifteen hundred feet above ground the side shrouds of each bomb were jettisoned. Seven hundred and fifty feet later each bomb ejected its three fuel air explosive submunitions which fell to their preprogrammed impact point.

Each submunition weighed one hundred pounds and dispensed a cloud approximately sixty feet in diameter and eight feet thick composed of seventy five pounds of ethylene oxide aerosol fuel across the individual target area with air burst fusing set for thirty feet. An embedded detonator ignited the cloud as it descended to the ground to produce a massive explosion. A massive wall of fire formed above the camp spreading towards its edges. Preceding this wall of fire was an overpressure wave of four hundred and thirty pounds per square inch. In milliseconds temperatures reached forty five hundred degrees. As atmospheric gasses cooled and pressures dropped sharply a partial vacuum was formed powerful enough to tear apart bodies and buildings. Had the end not come from the blast wave or intense heat the end would have come from suffocation as the explosions consumed all available oxygen underneath them. On the periphery of the camp few survived. Those that did were badly burned. The entire camp was ablaze. The odor of charred bodies carried on the breeze.

"Hammer Lead, Rattler Six. I confirm impact within circular error of probability and high order detonation. Have a nice day." radioed the communications sergeant.

Beside him, his video camera captured the carnage in all its horrific detail. Using the DHD in a Jumper within the Hammond's fighter bay the gate was dialed to the Genii home world. The Hammond began broadcasting the airstrike video through the open worm hole for thirty eight minutes, until the gate shut down and was then redialed. This was done to ensure the video reached the Genii. The message was clear, the Tauri were coming.